Illinois ladies facing bc
Comments
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Welcome Laurie! Sorry, I was not a candidate for DIEP so I did TE's and implants. I hope some of the other gals here can help.
Meni - I am happy to answer any questions you have on the cold caps. I am very glad I did them. Worked well for me.
Hope - congrats on finishing chemo - and finishing with hair!!!
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Gee, I could have been a donor!
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LOL Timbuktu.
My husband told Dr. S that he had plenty to spare.
It IS amazing what is possible with our own body. And mind boggling the advances they have made with lifesaving and life changing donor transplants in my lifetime thus far.0 -
Welcome to Laurie2025! I live in CL so we are neighbors. Well, technically, I am still in Phoenix. But we are going to start back north later this week. I didn't have DIEP, but ended up with LAT flap.... long story. My PS at Northwestern specializes in breast reconstruction and does DIEPs. PM me if you need any info or want to chat. My chemo was ACT.
I hope that everyone had a great weekend!
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Short quote today, but full of good information:
Make the most of the best and the least of the worst.
Robert Louis Stevenson0 -
I am still 10 days away from SNB and I have to say that I have appreciated all of the feedback, information and support I have gotten from people on this discussion board. I am trying not to be obsessed, but I find myself constantly reading and re-reading information from them and learning more each day. So far, the hardest part is waiting and the anticipation of the unknown of the nodes and being able to understand what my options and treatment will be. I just retired from teaching this year, so it reminds me of something I would have studied in school and dissected bit by bit. I have noticed there are some other people on the discussion board who were teachers and it reminds me of the unusual number of teachers from our district who have been diagnosed with breast cancer....or is that just my imagination.....I know it's from all walks of life - this disease doesn't discriminate. While it's not the way I imagined starting my retirement, I am optimistic that there are options and answers for me - I just pray I am being guided in the right direction. I feel I have wasted a lot of time because of my choices in the beginning of this journey. Hopefully, I am on the right path and that is because of the guidance and feedback I have received here. I know I am in a totally different place than most of you, but I just wanted you all to know how thankful I am. Know that this discussion helps in so many ways.
I have tried to add an avatar, but for some reason, it won't save. Any suggestions?
Peg
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Hello everyone! It's a rainy, gloomy day here today. Where is our sunshine?
I hope everyone had a great weekened!
meni....Have you decided where you're going to do any chemo or rads that you might need?
Well, Im off to get something accomplished.
Hey Blackjack, I wish I lived closer. I'd be there for lunch. That's a crazy busy week for me or I still might have considered it. We are heading out to Mississippi for Easter at my son's house. I can hardly wait to get my hands on those 3 little guys! We're also going a little early so we can stop at my Dad's. He has been in the hospital all month with a blood clot in his leg. To top it off, he got e.coli infection in the leg, too, which I never knew you could get in the leg. Since he's 90, it's a tough call on the treatment and he is very depressed. Such a worry from afar.
Well, I need to try to get something accomplished around here. This dreary weather is not a big motivating factor for me! Hugs to all of you!
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Good to see some of our "old-timers" back. I don't know if it was my post asking about you that influenced your post or just coincidence? In either case, it's good to hear from you!
Rita, that sounds like a wonderful trip down south! Well except the part about your dad
I'm confident he will be so happy to see you! My dad is 87 and we always worry about him at this age! He's a feisty little guy and I hope he will be around for a long time to come (as long as he's comfortable and independent). What is up with this snow & cold???
Enough already! Let's get on with spring!!!0 -
peki--I'm just taking a guess that you have talked ( possibly by pm ) to Rita and Susan or zap. They are both teachers and are always so fantastic to speak to and enjoy.
You are so right......cancer doesn't really care who you are, rich or poor, fat or thin, health food or junk food eater......and it hasn't a consideration in the world for whether you are raising children or about to retire. Definitely equal opportunity all the way....in fact, even some men get breast cancer...so.
Some people want to know everything and some just enough to choose. How's this for fortune....when I went thru several yrs. back now my Insurance had been cancelled and the only place I could turn was the V.A. Well, said it before and I'll say it again, you are never alone in this universe and though totally terror stricken at first to lose my Ins. ( I had some deep suspicions at the time ) I feel I ended up with one of the best surgeons I ever could have....especially had I been able to continue on with the Ins. and PCP and others I had at the time. Not saying any of them were bad, but life worked out in such a way that the person who needed to be there for me made it into the corner of my life that involved breast cancer. My gratefulness still to this days knows no bounds.
I am not great on the computer, but the only way I've managed avatar pictures, or anything much for that matter, is to put everything into Picasa. I didn't use their album system....just put everything in the same place. When I downloaded Picasa for the first time.....it just found all the pictures I had then and stored them all.....so I've not considered using anything else. I hope you can figure it out.
I hope you will keep coming back to. This is a really nice bunch of ladies here.....and we all basically are in the same boat....dealing with a disease most didn't dream they would deal with.
Love and peace
Jackie
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Peg your avatar photo is probably too large (to many MB or KB)
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Welcome Laurie2025! I'm sure the gals who have experienced diep will give you lots of info.
Welcome also...fgm! Join us often! You've already made a great contribution with your wig info!
C-Squared...I don't think it ever hurts to inquire about those you've missed and those who haven't been posting lately. I often send emails or PM's to some of the gals who went through the journey with me 6 years ago and we still compare our efforts at "finding the new normal." It's always nice to be missed. Every so often they'll pop in to say "Hi."
Timbuktu and Diana...........You gals are just too funny. I never thought about being a fat donor, Timbuktu. I think I'd probably qualify also! :-) Glad to have you back, Diana!
Well, I'm off to plan a lesson for the youth! I hope eeryone had a great day in spite of the dreariness.
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Thanks Ladies - I finally figured out the avatar - you were right Lago, too big! I just got a new computer from Santa and I have had a hard time figuring out transition from Windows to a Mac - so much to learn!!
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Peki I'm both mac & pc literate although currently on a PC. Usually when working on site I'm mac. Feel free to PM me questions if you get stuck. I think you'll catch on quickly with the mac.
For some reason when your avatar picture is too big they don't warn you. BTW love your photo.
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Thanks Jackie! We had snow!
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Well welcome peki! Glad you were able to get some help with your computer! Lago is very well versed in graphics and she's a great help with that kind of stuff! I made the switch from PC to MAC myself and now when I need to get on a PC it feels foreign to me! Just keep playing around.., you'll have it down in no time!
I'm glad that you found us! There is an amazing amount of support to be found amongst the IL Ladies! Keep in touch!
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laurie, sorry about the snow -- its prettier than rain at least. Nice and dry today though the warmth that we had right before the rain is gone here and we have some cold air back. Its been consistently, inconsistent. I'll sure be glad when it settles down.
peki, glad you got your avatar in. C-squared is right...Lago is very good on the computer. In fact, she is quite apt I think in finding information too.....one of the great beauties of sites like this...there are a lot of people who can give you a shove in the right direction and without all of you many of us ( like myself for instance ) would be adrift
Hope you all have a wonderful evening.
Peace and love,
Jackie
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Love your avatar Laurie!!!!!!
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I will be generous with my love today. I will sprinkle compliments
and uplifting words everywhere I go. I will do this knowing that
my words are like seeds and when they fall on fertile soil, a
reflection of those seeds will grow into something greater.
Steve Maraboli0 -
It is a beautiful sunny morning outside my little office window. Hope everyone is being favored with it. I put in todays quote because of the compliment Lago got yesterday from C-square which once again reminded me of how important we are to each other. It takes in general just little things ( like someone's computer knowledge ) to make life better for someone else. It is just good karma to share and care about each other. It starts a great circle moving, getting wider and wider. Just those sorts of thoughts perk me up to a great level.
Peace and love,
Jackie
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Lago, I'm am so laughing at your latest "linky." Looks like they aren't used to the ladies line!
I'm one of the older ones here, and I don't post often anymore. Celebrated my 7 year anniversary last month, and have moved on, but always wishing well to all here. I do keep in touch with some other ladies who came on around the same time I did, but I can't seem to keep up with so many that are now here.
Meni, I had the same drugs you are having, though I am triple neg and older. I was 60 at dx, and celebrated my 61st b-day on Mother's Day in the middle of chemo. A twofer I never wanted to have, but you get what you get. I had 4 rounds of AC spaced at every three weeks, followed by 12 weekly rounds of taxol. Had 7 weeks of rads after that, and was good to go! You will find lots of helpful hints on the chemo threads. Got two wigs, both at Jerome's in Skokie. Different styles, and different colors, just for fun. So the important thing here is that now I'm about to have my 68th b-day this May, and I'm healthy. You can get through it, and ladies here will always be ready to offer support when you need it.
Jackie, your quotes are so much appreciated! I don't read daily, but do catch up every so often.
Rita, so glad you are getting a chance to see your little guys again. They grow up way too fast!
Susan, I'm so happy you are able to take that trip ti California! Is it San Francisco as you had previously planned? It's so beautiful I know you'll both love it. And I think there is an art display of lights on the Oakland Bridge now. I'd love to see that, and have dinner at The Stinking Rose!
Hope all of you are enjoying this sunny, though cold day. Talk to you later!
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Stopping in late to say hi again. Wanted to say a big hi to Smerf....one of the oldies, but very much goodies. You know....hearing about anyone who is past the big #5 is always a thrill, so glad you shared that date and
even if I am late. I know all of us here are going to be having the same great wishes and wonderful thoughts about our reaching those " later " dates. So hope your day was super and that you spent it with all the people you love.
So as not to write another post.....this morning while I was trying to do other things my computer updated to I guess the newest version of Internet Explorer. I have to go read up but if anyone else has it......my hope is it won't confuse me as I barely creak by on this thing.
Sunny day here if cool. Hope you all had a fantastic day.
Peace and love,
Jackie
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Ritajean I am meeting with Dr Veeder in Peoria on the 29th so I will most likely get the chemo and radiation in Macomb. I want to be close to my house.
Smerf thank-you so much for the encouraging message.
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Meni....one of my dearest friends who posted a few times on this site years ago has Dr. Veeder as her oncologist! She is 19 years out from diagnosis and swears by him! I know several others from Macomb and your surrounding area that just love him. I'm sure he will give you good advice. There is a sense of comfort about being close to home during the treatments and the rads.
Great quote, Jackie!
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I was just on facebook, connecting with Blackjack. Very sad news I'm afraid -- Blackjack's mother has died. So very sad for her and her family. I let her know that I would pass the news along to our group, and I'm sure we will all rally to show her support at such a difficult time.
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Very sad! My condolences to her & her family.
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We all have within us a deep sense of what we need, and what is right
and true for us. To access this we need to pay attention to our feelings
and our intuition. We need to learn to listen deeply to ourselves and to
trust what we hear. And we need to risk acting on what we feel to be true.
Even if we make mistakes, we must do this in order to learn and grow.
Shakti Gawain0 -
Lisa...thank you so much for letting us know. Like many I have lived a bit vicariously by being able to share with others who still have moms and dads. I am sad for BJ. I think it is hard to lose either parent but for we females I think it is especially challenging when it is our mothers. I don't think you are ever to old to rely on the comfort of a Mother.....just knowing she is there. Hoping and praying for strength in the coming days for BJ and all of her loved ones.
Peace and love
Jackie
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Lisa, thank you for sharing the news of Blackjack's mother. Condolences to her and her family.
Hope everyone's doing well. It is a pretty day, but pretty cold. It's colder now then when I took the dog out at 5:30 this morning. Stay warm!
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Rest in peace mama blackjack. Prayers to bj and family.
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Hugs Michele. I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your Mother. My heart goes out to you.
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